Unselfish Love, Our Adoption Journey Part 1: Katie: In a Moment the World Stops

Katie turned slowly to look in the mirror, her sparkling blue-green eyes reflecting the worry she felt all day as she tried hard to focus on enjoying time with her little boy. Unable to shake the nagging worry as evening approached, she called her boyfriend to watch her 14 month old son Ryder as he played while she left to go to WalMart. There was no way Katie could share why she was really going to the store.

All the way there her mind was racing…”there is no way this can be possible,” she told herself over and over again. So many feelings came flooding back; when she learned about Ryder and knew she would raise him alone. Telling her family and friends she was pregnant and putting her life on hold to raise her beautiful son. Katie had been a single mom from the time he was born. Katie was a strong mom, who always put her son first. She knew how hard her life was. Her mind raced further. How could she provide for another baby? What would her current boyfriend do because she was sure he was not the father of this child?

At the store Katie grabbed two pregnancy tests and headed for the bathroom. In the stall she waited, afraid to look but anxious to know. One line…. Half a line… then TWO solid complete pink lines! Her heart dropped and she knew her instincts were right. She was pregnant and her confirmation came when the results of the second test were the exactly the same. How could this have happened? she thought.

As she headed home in a daze, she began to think about how she would tell her current boyfriend. Would he stand by her? Would he want a baby that was not his? Katie’s heart was racing as she stepped in the door and blurted it out. “ I am pregnant.”

The look on his face said it all. They stared at each other for a stunned silent moment. Katie, being proud and strong asked him to leave right then and there. As the door shut she crumpled into a chair, the tears rolling slowly down her face. Hearing Ryder begin to wake, she went into his room, picked him up and sat down to rock him. Looking in his beautiful innocent eyes Katie knew in her heart they would be alright.